Antique Cat-in-Milk Churn musical automaton, by Roullet & Decamps

When the milk churn lid is removed, the movement wound and the start/stop rod actuated, the music starts and the magic begins, with the just-in-view white cat's head rising up, turning slightly as its tongue laps at the side of the churn continuously, pausing briefly at the top of the rim, before continuing upwards above the churn summit, still lapping the milk with tongue, holding the stance for a few seconds, then suddenly dropping down back into the darkness of the milk churn, music accompanying all the while.

One of the most sought-after petit musical automatons made by Roullet & Decamps, Douglas-Fisher present here a superb example in full operational and original condition. This amazing survivor displays the three main attributes which continue to place antique automata in the spotlight - suspense, amusement and surprise.

The firm who made the milk churn also made all sorts of container and cookware and this milk churn is the real thing. By using a day-to-day object as the foundation of this piece, Roullet & Decamps projected not just developed surprise, but real surprise. Much like placing a piece of wax fruit amongst real fruit in a bowl, this piece was intended to blend in. How very imaginative.